Akuapem shooting incident: Arrest & Prosecute Perpetrators Now! —Govt Charged
In the aftermath of the shooting incident that occurred at the Okuapemhemaa’s Palace on August 6, 2022, videos and pictures of the alleged perpetrators have emerged and gone viral in the Akropong township and other towns on the Akuapem Mountain in the Eastern Region.
Prince Mantey, 24, whose photographs have been captured, is alleged to have shot Eric Kwabena Boafo, who has had his leg amputated at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua, following that frightening incident.
Shockingly, the videos of the incident also captured the Akuapem Banmuhene, Nana Afari Bampoe, who is alleged to be the architect behind the August 6 shooting incidence with his thugs.
Indeed he is seen in the videos and pictures surrounded by what appears to be his armed young men including Prince Mantey, the man believed to have shot Eric Kwabena Boafo .
In view of this, the people of Akropong are calling on the government to immediately cause the arrest of the Banmuhene and Prince Mantey and any other accomplices, and arraign them before the law court.
What is more, the people are asking the government to extricate itself from such “lawlessness and criminal acts.”
That, according to them, can only be achieved when the government ensures that the law takes its course, and that the perpetrators are brought to book.
The only means by which Eric Kwabena Boafo can have justice is for the police to arrest and bring to book the perpetrators of this heinous crime, they averred.
According to the people of Akropong, the pictures and videos of Banmuhene and Prince Mantey provide further evidence to implicate them in the shooting of Eric Kwabena Boafo in the queen mother‘s palace.
However, what is baffling the people of Akropong is the inaction of police to arrest the perpetrators of what they describe as a “barbaric act of lawlessness “which has the potential to escalate into full blown violent conflict.
According to the people, it was a sad spectacle to see the Banmuhene and his thugs continue to roam the streets of Akropong with impunity.
In the viral photographs and videos, the Banmuhene is seen with Prince Mantey, whom many have described as the “hatchet boy” of Nana Afari Bampoe.
While one of the pictures captures the Banmuhene wearing a hat with a muffler around his neck and a jacket, Prince Mantey is also seen in that same picture standing close to the Banmuhene.
An elderly person from Akropong who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that “We feel “insecure and unsafe” adding “it is unfortunate that the government is not allowing the police to do their work by arresting the culprits and that has made our area which had been a peaceful place for us and many people very unsafe.” Many of the people called on the IGP to ensure that the Police act independently and professionally in the recent and all other cases of lawlessness involving the Akuapem chieftaincy problems.
Meanwhile, the Banmuhene in an interview on a national television has denied his involvement in the August 6th incident.
He explained that he went to the Okuapehemaa’s palace to perform a traditional rite.
However, this claim by the Banmuhene has been ridiculed by many people as a lie on the grounds that he had no rituals to perform as Banmuhene in the Okuapehemaa’s palace. The question being asked by many people is, “How can the Banmuhene perform traditional rites in the palace of OKUAPEMHEMAA without her knowledge, consent and participation?
Many of the people are of the view that the recent shooting incident in the palace of the Okuapemhemaa has brought to fore the need for urgent action on all the cases of violent actions and human rights abuses perpetrated by people who support Kwadwo Kesse.
